title: Berberine diminishes the side population and ABCG2 transporter expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.
abstract: The plant alkaloid berberine has many biological activities including the ability to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, making it a potentially useful agent for targeting cancer cells. We have analyzed the effects of berberine on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Berberine was added to MCF-7 cells in culture, and proliferation, side population (SP) cells and expression of ABCG2 were examined. Berberine caused a dose-dependent reduction in proliferation. Hoechst 33,342 dye staining and FACS analysis revealed that berberine treatment caused a decrease in SP cells relative to untreated controls. In addition, berberine treatment was associated with a decrease in expression of ABCG2 relative to untreated controls. These results indicate that the growth inhibitory effects of berberine treatment on MCF-7 cells may be partly via effects on SP and ABCG2 expression. Further work is warranted to explore whether berberine may be a novel therapeutic drug useful for targeting breast cancer stem cells.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eunyoung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Wonshik
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Incheol
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Seo Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dong-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Noh
mesh_terms: D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
chemical_list: C116614:ABCG2 protein, human; D000070997:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2; D018528:ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D004396:Coloring Agents; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D001599:Berberine; C017807:bisbenzimide ethoxide trihydrochloride